City of Eden Prairie
Home Menu
Amenities » Community Center » Activities
Safety Classes
Safety education classes are offered throughout the year at the Community Center.
Below are safety classes and descriptions. To find out if a class is currently being offered, click the Register for Safety Classes button.
Babysitter's Training and Pediatric First Aid/CPR is recommended for ages 11–14 years old.
This course provides youth who are planning to babysit with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely and responsibly care for children and infants. Participants develop leadership skills, learn how to develop a babysitting business, help keep themselves and others safe, help children behave, and learn basic child care and basic first aid.
This course is roughly 5 hours in length (time may vary depending on number of participants), and upon completion participants receive a certification in Babysitter's Training with Pediatric First Aid/CPR. Participants also receive an Emergency Reference Guide, packet of child care topic fact sheets and a keychain face shield for CPR. Participants can also request to receive an electronic copy of the Babysitter's Manual.
The Scout Swim Test is intended for Scout troops or individual Scouts who need to complete a swim test for camp or high adventure outings (e.g. sea base).
Participants may choose to take either the Beginner’s Test or the Swimmer’s Test. Descriptions of each can be found in the 112 Closet under the Scout Swim Test section. All tests are administered by a Red Cross-certified Lifeguard Instructor.
Important Details
- Pre-registration and payment are required. No walk-in registrations are accepted.
- No additional test dates are added.
- The swim test is limited to the Beginner’s and Swimmer’s tests only.
- Tests required for merit badges or activities such as sailing are no administered before, during or after the scheduled test session.
Email Aquatics@edenprairie.org for questions about other types of swim tests.
The Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED course is designed for participants ages 14 or older.
The course teaches students to recognize, respond and care for cardiac emergencies, as well as a variety of first aid emergencies such as burns, cuts, scrapes, sudden illnesses, head, neck and back injuries, and heat and cold emergencies to help persons of any age.
Students who successfully complete this course receive a certificate for Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED valid for two years. Meets criteria for CPR/AED/First Aid (Adult/Pediatric). Participants also receive a key chain face shield for CPR.
Provides participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies, and to provide care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illnesses until EMS personnel take over.
Upon completion of this course participants receive a certification in Lifeguarding with CPR/AED for professional rescuers with First Aid valid for 2 years. This is a blended learning class. All online content must be completed prior to the in-class portion. Participants must be 15 years old on or before the last day of class and able to complete the swimming prerequisites on the first day of class.
Swimming Prerequisites
- Jump into the water from the side, totally submerge, recover to the surface and swim 150 yards. After swimming 150 yards, maintain position at the surface of the water for 2 minutes by treading (without the use of hands). After treading, swim 50 more yards. While swimming, you must swim continuously, keeping your face in the water and demonstrating good breath control. You may use the front crawl, breaststroke, or a combination of both. Swimming on the back or side is not permitted. Swim goggles are allowed.
- Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. Your face may be in or out of the water. Surface dive to a depth of 7 to 12 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object. Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on your back to return to the starting point, holding the object at the surface with both hands and keeping your face at or near the surface. Swimming the distance underwater is not permitted. Exit the water without using a ladder or the steps. This must be completed in 1 minute, 40 seconds. Swim goggles are not allowed.
Earn your certification to teach American Red Cross swimming and water safety, and gain the skills needed to teach courses and make presentations to swimmers of every age and ability.
The Water Safety Instructor Course trains candidates to teach children and adults fundamental skills that will help them stay safe in, on, and around water. This certification is the gold standard and provides the most comprehensive training available for swim instructors.
Prerequisites
- 15 years old by the last day of class
- Successfully complete the pre-course session which includes demonstration of swimming skill at Learn-to-Swim Level 4
Course is designed for individuals ages 14 and older wanting to learn how to handle emergency situations in delayed-help environments, such as wilderness and remote environments, urban disasters, tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes.
Topics focus on first aid and sudden illness such as altitude-related illnesses, wound care, and bone and joint injuries. Essential for campers and hikers of any skill level, or people who work in a wilderness setting, this program empowers you to integrate emergency action principles in settings where emergency medical response may be more than an hour away.
This course also teaches students to recognize, respond and care for breathing and cardiac emergencies as well as a variety of first aid emergencies such as burns, cuts, scrapes, head, neck and back injuries, and heat and cold emergencies for victims of any age.
Safety Classes FAQs
Babysitter's Training
Babysitter’s Training is open to all genders. Anyone within the required age range who is interested in learning how to safely and responsibly care for children is welcome to participate.
- To help participants focus and fully engage in the course, parents and guardians are asked not to sit in during class. You’re welcome to wait in the lobby or enjoy another area of the Community Center during the course.
A membership or daily fee is needed to access areas of the facility designated for Community Center members. We don't offer specific classes just for Girl Scouts. However, if you have a large group and there are no openings in any of our classes it may be possible to add another class or another instructor to accommodate more participants.
Extra class requests should be made by emailing Aquatics@edenprairie.org.
- We’re unable to make exceptions to the minimum age requirement. Age requirements are established by the American Red Cross, and we’re required to follow their course guidelines. Participants must meet the minimum age requirement by the start of the course.
- Yes. Participants will have several short breaks throughout the course to stretch, use the restroom or have a snack. There will also be a 30-minute meal break approximately halfway through the course.
We recommend bringing a lunch, as there isn’t enough time during the meal break to leave the Community Center. There is a café on-site, but it may not be open during the class, so it’s best to come prepared with something to eat.
CPR
No. The American Red Cross has very specific age requirements that we are required to follow.
At this time, we are not able to offer CPR recertification.
Certification requirements can vary by employer, so we recommend checking with your employer to make sure this course meets their requirements.
This course includes Pediatric CPR/AED and First Aid for children and infants.
Lifeguarding
- The waitlist is used to fill class openings as they become available. When a cancellation occurs, we’ll contact individuals in waitlist order. You’ll receive an email when it’s your turn and will have 24 hours to accept or decline the spot.
Openings may also become available if a participant does not pass the prerequisite swim. In these events, we’ll continue down the waitlist and contact the next person to schedule their prerequisite swim. - The Lifeguard Recertification course covers deep water Lifeguarding Recertification only. Additional certifications and modules cannot be added to the course.
Can I add additional certifications or modules, such as Oxygen, Waterfront or Administering Epinephrine, to my Lifeguard Recertification course?
- Please complete the chapter reviews in the printed packet provided to you. While the reviews are also available in the eBook, your responses may not save reliably. Using the printed packet ensures your completed work is available for the remainder of the course.
All required online coursework must be completed before the first day of class.
If you’re having trouble accessing or completing the online content, please contact Aquatics@edenprairiemn.gov as soon as possible so we can help determine next steps.
No. The Red Cross has very specific age requirements for each class that we are required to follow.
- No. Participants must hold a current Deep Water Lifeguarding certification to be eligible for the Lifeguarding Instructor course.
- No. Lifeguard Skills Practice Sessions are for practice only and do not include course evaluations. You’re welcome to practice the prerequisite swim during the session, but you’ll still need to complete and pass the prerequisite swim as part of your Lifeguarding or Lifeguarding Instructor course.
- No. You’re welcome to leave early once you feel you’ve had enough time to practice the skills you came to work on.
I already completed the online Lifeguarding Recertification content when I renewed my LGI certification. Why am I being enrolled in it again?
The American Red Cross requires all LGI Recertification participants to complete both the Lifeguarding Recertification and LGI Recertification online components before attending the in-person session.
This requirement applies even if you have previously completed the Lifeguarding Recertification online content.
I passed the prerequisite swim and received my pre-course materials. What do I need to complete before the rest of the course?
Before the remainder of the course, you’ll need to complete the following:
- Online course content: You’ll receive a link by email within 24 hours of passing the prerequisite swim.
- eBook reading: Instructions for accessing the eBook are included with your chapter review materials.
- Chapter reviews: Complete the chapter reviews provided in your bound packet.
- No. Course enrollment is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend registering as soon as you’re able to confirm attendance.
Is there a discount on the Lifeguarding course if I’m interested in working at the Eden Prairie Community Center?
Yes! A discounted course rate is available for participants interested in working as a lifeguard at the Eden Prairie Community Center.
To be eligible for the discounted rate, complete a lifeguard job application through edenprairiemn.gov/Jobs and email Aquatics@edenprairiemn.gov for next steps.
- Registration closes 10 days before the course begins to allow enough time to prepare course materials and order required manuals from the American Red Cross. Because these materials can take a week or more to arrive, we’re unable to accept additional registrations after the deadline, even if space remains in the class.
Prerequisite Swim
If you don’t pass the prerequisite swim, you have the option to transfer to another class or request a refund. Refunds are not issued automatically. To request a refund, email Aquatics@edenprairiemn.gov.
Lifeguard Training Course
Refunds are not issued to participants who do not pass the Lifeguard Training course.
- Participants must attend all scheduled course days. Because each class progresses at a slightly different pace and requires specific staffing and resources, we’re unable to offer make-up sessions for missed classes.
- If you experience technical issues with the online course content, Red Cross IT Support is available to help. Please contact them directly using the support number provided with your course materials.
- After successfully completing the prerequisite swim, you’ll be eligible to receive the online course materials, including access to the eBook and chapter review packet. Your link to the online course content will be emailed to you approximately 10–14 days before the course begins.
After successfully completing the course, you’ll receive an email from the Red Cross with your Lifeguarding certificate as a PDF. Please allow up to 10 business days after the final course date for your certificate to arrive.
Lifeguarding courses follow a set schedule, and participants must successfully demonstrate the required skills before moving on to the next part of the course. For this reason, skill attempts must be completed within the scheduled course timeline and cannot be moved to a different class or date.
Once you pass the prerequisite swim, you’ll receive access to the online coursework and eBook materials. Because this work takes approximately 6–8 hours to complete, we want to make sure you can successfully complete the required swim skills before investing that time.
If you’re unable to attend your scheduled prerequisite session, please email Aquatics@edenprairiemn.gov before the session to ask about rescheduling.
Refunds and Transfers: If you do not successfully complete the prerequisites by your class’s scheduled deadline, you will no longer be eligible for a full refund or transfer to another course.Why does the Red Cross website say I can recertify my Lifeguarding certification at the same time as my LGI certification, but your website says I can’t?
The Red Cross curriculum allows Lifeguarding (LG) recertification to be added to an LGI recertification course when additional course time is provided.
At this time, our LGI recertification course does not include the additional time needed to offer both certifications, so Lifeguarding recertification must be completed separately.
- Your email address is used by the American Red Cross to create and maintain your individual account and certification history. We recommend using a personal email address that you expect to have access to long term.
Why should I use a personal email instead of a work, school or parent email when registering for Lifeguarding?
Using the same email for future courses and recertifications helps keep all of your certifications connected to one account. If you register with a different email later, the Red Cross may create a new account that does not include your previous certifications. Combining multiple accounts can be a lengthy process, so using a consistent personal email from the start can save time and make future registrations easier.
- The waitlist is used to fill class openings as they become available. When a cancellation occurs, we’ll contact individuals in waitlist order. You’ll receive an email when it’s your turn and will have 24 hours to accept or decline the spot.
Scouts Swim Test
- Yes. If online registration has closed, you can register in person at the Community Center. Be sure to bring your receipt or other proof of registration to show the instructor, as your name will not appear on their class roster.
No. Scout Swim Test sessions are specifically designed to complete Scout swim requirements safely and efficiently within the scheduled time.
Because other organizations may have different testing, pool space or equipment requirements, we’re unable to accommodate non-Scout swim tests during these sessions.
- Swim tests are available only on the dates and times listed. Due to staff availability, pool schedules and other programming at the Community Center, we’re unable to schedule individual or alternate swim test sessions.
Water Safety Instructor
- Printed course books are required for this class. You’ll use them throughout the course to take notes, remove pages for reference and bring specific materials onto the pool deck during skills practice. For these reasons, electronic versions cannot be used in place of the printed books.
If a program is full, you may be eligible to be placed on a waitlist. Our waitlist process is automated. If a spot becomes available, the next eligible household on the waitlist will receive an email sent to the household email on file.
You will have 24 hours to accept the spot and complete registration. If the spot is not accepted within the 24-hour window, it will automatically be offered to the next participant on the waitlist.
- Your instructor will email you a detailed list of what to bring approximately 5–7 days before the first day of class, so you’ll have time to prepare.
Wilderness and Remote First Aid
- It depends on the certification you currently hold. To skip the CPR portion of the course, you must provide proof of a current American Red Cross CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers certification. Lifeguards with a current Red Cross Lifeguard certification already hold this level of CPR certification.
If you have a different type of CPR certification, you’ll need to complete the CPR portion included with this course. No CPR certification is necessary prior to the start of this class.
CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers with First Aid is included in the class length and price. If you have already earned the American Red Cross CPR/AED for Professional Rescuer with First Aid certification, please email Aquatics@edenprairiemn.gov before registering.
Scouts participating in this course may arrange to complete a swim test before or after one of the scheduled class days.
If you need a swim test, please email Aquatics@edenprairiemn.gov before the course begins so arrangements can be made.
This course is based on the Scouting America Wilderness First Aid Curriculum and Doctrine Guidelines, and also meets criteria toward earning Wilderness First Aid and CPR badges.
- Yes! This course is open to anyone age 14 or older and is not limited to Scouts or Scout leaders. It’s a great option for outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who wants to be better prepared to respond to emergencies when professional help may be delayed.
The Wilderness and Remote First Aid course includes a combination of lecture and hands-on practice. While some skills include opportunities for hands-on learning, many of the topics are taught through lecture only.
The course format and which topics include hands-on practice are determined by the American Red Cross curriculum.
- The Wilderness and Remote First Aid curriculum was developed by the American Red Cross and Boy Scouts of America in 2014, with additional updates provided in 2019. The American Red Cross is currently working on an updated version of the course, but a release date has not yet been announced.
Students who successfully complete this course receive certificates for Wilderness First Aid valid for two years AND for CPR/AED for Professional Rescuer with First Aid.
- It depends on the certification you currently hold. To skip the CPR portion of the course, you must provide proof of a current American Red Cross CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers certification. Lifeguards with a current Red Cross Lifeguard certification already hold this level of CPR certification.